[MELBOURNE] Iron ore sales to China from Australia's Port Hedland climbed 27 per cent in January from a year earlier as miners increased output and the biggest buyer boosted inventories to the highest level in 16 months.

Cargoes from the world's largest ore-export terminal to China totalled 23.3 million tonnes last month from 18.4 million tonnes a year ago, data on the port's website showed.

Shipments, which reached a record 25.2 million tonnes in October, were 24.2 million tonnes in December. Total iron ore exports were 28.2 million tonnes from a record 29.5 million tonnes in December and 22.1 million tonnes a year earlier, the data showed.